Crashing Thunder
by thatnekochick
Summary: It's been a year since the "Great Fall" of Cocoon and the former l'Cie have continued on, well most of them. A year later, secrets are revealed and new things are discovered. Along with the possibility of hostile threats.Light/Leb-Flight-Vanille/?
1. The Begninning of a New Year

_**-Let me say this now, this is the sequel to When Lightning Strikes, I repeat, the sequel. So if you are new to this story and would like to read it, please read WLS first. I wouldn't want you lost and such.-**_

_**Hello folks, guess whose backkkk! Yes! Neko is back baby! And Neko has a present for everyone who was a fan of my Final Fantasy story, When Lightning Strikes (Oh I love the puns~!) Anyway, sorry for taking so long to actually write this…I had tried to start it time and time again but alas, they all failed. So now instead of writing the story down on paper, I will totally improvise. It has worked for me in the past, so I will stick with that method.**_

_**Anyway, I heard there is a sequel to FF13 coming out, so this story will now fall into the semi AU category. I don't think it'll be that AU because the game hasn't come out yet, but when it does, then this will become AU((Well more AU)). In addition, I'm also trying something new with Lightning**_

_**I digress; you guys have waited long enough for this sequel right? **_

_**Well…let me give you a hint, this story will not be as it seems. Also, there will be snow, yes I said it. Snow…and not that big blond lovable giant lol.**_

_**Pairs: Flight/Flaire, Light/Leb (read to see how that plays out lol) Vanille/? and no, she will not be with Hope. The pair makes cute pictures but in reality, she is WAY too old for him O.O**_

_**Let's get on with the story yes? No more of my rambling.**_

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><p><em>As much as one tries to forget, the imprint that a loved one leaves is impossible to erase. One can try to cover up the hurt, to hide the truth…but the pain of losing a loved one is tragically obvious. <em>

The Begninning of a New Year

"Claire, hey!"

There was the sound of knocking, the faint sound barely audible of the sound of running water. It was the sound of a shower to be specific.

"Claire! Can you hear me? Hello? Did you fall asleep in there again?"

Azure eyes opened slowly, those cool orbs as misty as the air around them. The owner of those piercing eyes sighed as strawberry strands blocked the view of those azure orbs. A pale hand reached up to move those same damp strands. Not too long after, the individual's hands reached for the knob, turning off the water.

Those same eyes then flickered over to the source of the voice, slight curiosity in them. "Serah, did you say something?"

It was then that the door opened, Serah bursting in with her own form of anger. Her hands were balled into small fists as she stared at the other woman, ignoring the fact that the other was naked. The two women could have been mistaken for twins, if it were not for their height difference.

"Claire, do you forget that you live with your sister? I do exsist you know!"

The older woman's eye twitched at the name, her lips pulling downward into a small frown. "Serah don't call me that…"

Serah paused for a moment, her tensed body relaxing some. "What, what did I call you? I only said your name…"

"My name is Lightning," The taller woman said coolly as she stepped out of the shower. She shot her younger sister a cool look, her eyes icy like her voice.

Serah rolled her eyes, unaffected by her sister's intimidation. "If you say so, _Lightning_."

The woman's stoic expression crumpled and she sighed, turning away to retrieve a towel. "So, what did you barge in here for? I know we're sisters and all but Serah…there are boundaries."

"I was standing out there for fifteen minutes Cl-Light…I got worried about you."

By this time, the strawberry blond had the towel wrapped around her, her hands unconsciously fiddling with her pink locks. "Sorry, I was just a little tired and nodded off…"

"Maybe you should take off of work. You know, have some time to breathe?"

Lightning shook her head, "No."

"That was a quick answer…"

The older Farron did not respond, instead she ushered her sister out of the bathroom. As the two exited the bathroom, Serah stared out one of the windows at the end of the hall. It was in that same moment that she remembered the reason why she was knocking on the bathroom door in the first place.

The small white masses reflected in her vision, making her eyes resemble a snow globe. "Hey Light, are you coming to the festival today?"

Lightning paused, her hands still resting on her sister's shoulders. She looked at the widow, and then focused her attention on Serah. "What are you talking about Serah?"

"Don't play dumb," the smaller Farron whispered. She stepped away from her sister and turned to face her, her big blue eyes full of seriousness. She bit her lip some as she stared at the other. "Light…it's been a year since…the Fall of Cocoon."

Two pairs of azure met, one blank and the other full of emotion. Lightning looked away first, her eyes now staring out the window. Her eyes twitched in a subtle manner, though it was not caused by annoyance. Her heart tugged painfully in her chest, yet she did not show it. She could not show it.

"I'm not going."

"But everyone will be there, and…and…"

"I'm sorry Serah, I have patrol duty today. If I have time then…maybe."

The younger Farron stared at her sister intensely; her eyes studied her stoic expression for that moment. Her eyebrows furrowed before she sighed heavily, a sign of defeat.

"Then we'll be waiting for you then."

Lightning glanced at her sister as the other turned on her heel and began to walk towards the exit. It was then that she noticed Serah, already dressed in clothing fit for the occasion. Her clothes were white, with the exception of her black leggings, which were worn under her white shorts. Her feet were protected by lace-up boots that were rimmed with the same type of fur. Her torso followed the white and black scheme except she wore a long sleeved black shirt over the white one. To finish off her wardrobe was a hat and coat, both white.

She waved before opening the door, letting the blistering cold seep into the house. "I'm going now Claire!"

"Serah that's-"

Before Lightning could finish her sentence, the door had been closed shut. The strawberry-blond huffed, placing a hand on her hip.

_I should get ready, _she thought_. My shift starts soon._

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><p>Lightning trudged through the snow, her eyes blank and dazed. Various emotions floated in those eyes, and with each emotion came a painful memory. Sadly, as painful as those memories felt, the memories themselves were pleasant. Soon, the image of her black snow-covered boots was replaced with the lush green grass of the year before.<p>

It was then that she saw those playful emerald eyes, sparkling brilliantly in the sun. Those emeralds that she let stare into her soul. Those eyes, that after all this time, she still couldn't figure out.

_Why couldn't I figure them out?_

"Light…"

Lightning blinked, her eyes watching the beautiful image of her lover.

"Fang…"

The illusion of her mind was so realistic that she nearly reached out to touch the woman's soft raven hair. Unfortunately, a voice hurled into that cruel world that was reality. She spun around, her hand on the hilt of her blazefire saber. Her eyes were narrowed and colder than the weather around her.

Her stance wavered when she noticed the source of the voice.

Before her stood Lebreau, the last person she would have expected strolling around the outskirts of the settlement. Her hands were up in the air as a peace offering, though her eyes were closed. Truthfully, the bartender was not intimidated at all.

"Calm down there Light, I come in peace. The last thing I need is a hole in my stomach after I came all the way here. Not to mention the fact that I'm freezing."

The former l'Cie sighed heavily and relaxed, straightening her posture. Her hair whipped around in the wind, her pink tresses a contrast from the black uniform she wore. The bartender took note of this as she opened her eyes, observing the seemingly tense woman.

"You know, it's snowing a lot out here Light…"

"What of it?"

"I was just wondering why you're in all-black, seeing as you'll be an easy target."

Lightning stared at the other woman for a moment before shaking her head and turning away. "That's my business, though…I could ask you about all that white."

"You could," Lebreau said with a chuckle. "But you already know why, don't ya?"

"Again, that's my b-"

"Serah and Snow asked me to come get you Light, as a member of_ NORA_…I was given an order."

Lightning closed her eyes, inhaling the cool winter air. Moments of silence passed between the two of them as snow fell from the cloudy sky. Lebreau simply stared at the soldier, her golden eyes trained on the other's back.

"Fine…I'll go…but it'll only be for her sake."

Lebreau smiled slightly, nodding slightly. Her golden eyes then wandered upwards, locked on the crystalized reminder the Fall. Cocoon, their former home, reflected in those eyes. Even under clouds the crystal glowed with brilliance.

Lightning gazed at Cocoon also, though her eyes were more focused on the pillar of crystal that kept it suspended. She felt her blood run cold as the memories flooded her mind once more. Her eyes widened some but, other than that, she remained motionless.

Before she could become engulfed in the past, Lebreau placed a hand on the other's shoulder. The bartender's eyes were filled with subtle worry as she watched Lightning's face.

_Was it fear in her eyes? No…it was just my imagination…it had to be._

"Hey Light, let's go."

The strawberry-blond nodded, her eyes dark. Her voice left her in a chilly whisper, the coolness enough to turn the fresh snow into icy glaciers.

"Yeah…"

The former l'Cie shrugged off the bartender's hand and began to walk forward. Lebreau watched her leave, a small frown on her face.

_Now I understand why Serah wants her to go to the festival so bad. As much as she tries to hide it, Light is broken. She needs to go; she has to see that pillar._

The raven-haired woman sighed and stared up at the cloudy sky, her breath leaving her mouth in a cloud of fog.

"Looks like it's time for her to face the music…"

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><p><strong><em>I hope you guys like the first chapter, and plan on following the sequel. I should be updating as soon as I can, seeing as I finally got hit with the inspiration book XD<em>**

**_Oh! And if you are wondering about the chapter title...you can ask me heehee if it doesn't make since. Though it woulld love you see how you interpret te title too~!_**

**_-NEKO_**


	2. Facing the Music

_**Here we go~! The next chapter of Crashing Thunder! I hope that you guys like it and leave me some reviews because I would like to know how I'm doing so far.**_

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><p><em>The truth is hard to face, so we avoid it. With that action, we hope to forget and move on. The reality is that one cannot move on without accepting. If once runs away from the truth, unable to face it, then they will be hurled back over and over.<em>

Facing the Music

"Looks like we're here, huh Light?"

Lebreau turned to the strawberry-blond, watching her closely. Her golden eyes zeroed in on the stoic woman, noticing that her body had become unbelievably stiff. Even as they walked, it seemed that Lightning was on auto-pilot. This worried the bartender but she would not say anything about it. Something about oldest Farron seemed dark and dangerous. She may seem like she was not intimidated by the blond, but she was not stupid and knew the risks.

With that, she stared forward and watched as people passed her by. The festival was large; making it seem as if it was a sea of white and black. Her ears picked up the sound of voices singing in unison, which caused her to blink.

"_Black is for the sacrifice, the price of freedom, the freedom which we are grateful for. We thank them; give them praise for their deeds. Our saviors from the treacherous fal'Cie, from our horrendous oppressors!_

_Through trial and challenge! Ones capable of miracles! Against all odds! They will always succeed!_

_l'Cie fought, even when the world was turned against them! For their people they've fought!_

_Call out their names! Give them Praise!_

_Lightning, Snow, Sazh, Hope, Serah and Dajh. _

_And the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice! We shall never forget them! _

_Fang and Vanille! Pulsians who selflessly gave their lives for us!_

_White is for hope and the new world given to us by that pair. We shall forever honor them, we shall forever respect them. We dress in their honor, white and black. For this day will forever belong to the glorious fal'Cie!_"

The song filled the air and flowed into Lightning's ears, each word echoing inside her blank mind. She knew that Lebreau was watching her closely. She thought that the bartender was expecting an explosion of anger, or some sort of violent rage.

That was not the case though, Lightning felt empty and numb. It was if the closer she to the festivities, the colder she became. It didn't help that the festival surrounded the base of the massive crystal pillar that was the reason for all this.

"_Light…it's been a year since…the Fall of Cocoon."_

"_Serah and Snow asked me to come get you Light…"_

"_But everyone will be there…"_

_Everyone won't be here Serah. Can't you see that Fang and Vanille are gone and will never return? Why can't any of them see that? _

"Claire! You made it!"

Lightning blinked as the younger Farron approached her, a large smile on her face. Serah took her sister's hands in her own, her eyes closing. "They have something that they want to show us, that's why I asked for Lebby to come get you."

Lebreau lifted an eyebrow, "_Lebby_…really Serah?"

"It's cute."

"And childish…"

"Anyway, come on Claire…erm Light…"

The strawberry-blond nodded and followed her sister as she pulled her along. Again, her body was moving as if it was on auto pilot. She felt to numb that it was scrambling her thought processes. Her mind was so lost that she barely realized that Serah stopped and had turned to face her.

"Light?"

The former l'Cie shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Once she was able to focus, she acknowledged her sister.

"Yeah?"

"Look," the younger Farron said, motioning to the others around them. She began to recognize the faces. Slowly the names sounded in her mind as she matched eyes with each individual.

_Snow_

_Hope_

_Sazh_

She even pointed out the members of _NORA_, her eyes widening some. "What's going on here?"

Lightning realized that she was at the base of the crystal pillar and she felt her heart stop. It was as if all time stopped as her eyes fell on an object, veiled with a white covering. She quickly realized that the cloth was covering a statue of some sort.

By this time, Snow and Sazh made their way over to the statue. They grasped the cloth at the same time, pulling it to reveal what was underneath.

Lightning's eyes widened as she stared the crystal monument, her heart skipping a beat. Before here stood crystal doubles of all of them, including Fang and Vanille. The two stood at the front, holding up a miniature version of cocoon, their head tilted towards the sky above.

The strawberry-blond felt her heart tug painfully in her chest as she took in the scene before her. She could tell by that silence that the others were in awe also. The soldier tried to make sense of the whole situation, but her mind only drew a blank. She did not know how she should feel. Of course she felt anger, but there was something else there. The emotion began to build as her eyes wandered over the crystal faces, allowing the memories of the past to plunge her heart into agony.

_Why did they do this? Why did they do this to me?_

Lightning began to back away from the statue, her eyes cold and dark. The others caught sight of this, various expressions on their faces. Serah stepped towards the woman, reaching out for her sister. The older Farron avoided her sister's attempt, icy blue orbs locking on the smaller woman.

"_This_ is what you wanted me to see?"

Serah recoiled, her sister's monotone frightening her. She took a step back herself, her eyes wide. A gust of wind blew then, filling the brief silence.

"Claire…you needed to see this…"

"How do you know what I need Serah," Lightning muttered. "You don't know half of what's going on. You could never understand…"

Serah looked down at the snow, her teeth clenched and her hands in shaking fists. "I do understand Claire…"

Lightning turned away, "My name is Lightning, Serah…"

Without another word Lightning walked away, her eyes staring blankly forward. Her hand rested on her gun blade, only one thing in mind…fight.

Serah watched her sister as she suddenly broke into a sprint, her figure retreating into the oncoming blizzard. She stared in that direction for a while before a comforting hand rested on her shoulder. She closed her eyes as she felt the warm hand she knew so well, a long sigh leaving her.

"Hey, you okay," Snow asked as she wrapped his arms around her.

She nodded, looking up at him with a small smile. "Yeah…I'm just…it's nothing."

The hulking man looked in the direction in which his future sister-in-law fled, his lips pulling downward in a frown. After a moment or two, he focused his attention back on his fiancée.

"She'll come around. She knows that we all worry about her…it's just hard for her. She was like that when we were searching for you back then. The only time she would lighten up was when she was with…when she was with Fang. Even Vanille would make her smile sometimes."

"Fang was the only one she let in," Serah muttered. "And when that one person was taken away…she shut down again. This didn't help at all…"

Hope turned away from the statue, his emerald eyes observing the scene before him. A small frown appeared on his face and he looked down at his feet. "Is this monument that bad? The survivors made it in our honor; they're thanking us for saving them. We've face a year of resentment for being l'Cie…we were even blamed for the Great Fall. For once they are doing something nice for us. Is it really that bad?"

This time Sazh spoke, his eyebrows furrowed. "Hope…I know it's hard for you to understand…"

"I'm not a kid," Hope muttered. "I know…I knew that Fang and Lightning were together. I was a witness to it all, remember?" He laughed dryly at the memory, feeling as if it was so far away. "I know I said that they weren't coming back...but I still have hope. Doesn't she still believe?"

Serah looked up at the sky as snow began to fall from the sky again, her eyes unsure. "I don't know…I don't even think she knows."

"_I was just wondering why you're in all-black, seeing as you'll be an easy target."_

Lightning dashed through falling snow, her eyes narrowed as the snow crystals stung her skin and blurred her vision.

_I want to be an easy target. _

_I want the beasts to see me…_

_So that I can take them down._

_Just like the memories of the past…_

_I'll eliminate them all_.

A dark smile spread across her face as she heard the sounds of feral beings.

_One by one…_

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><p><em><strong>-waves- I hope you guys like this so far. I've noticed that this story hasn't had any sort of humor in it. That makes me a little sad but of well, I'm sure that there will be some soon. Ha ha, it has been hard writing humor with Fang out of the picture BUT I will make an attempt to add some. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please, please, review. I would like to know if you guys like where I am going with this, if I don't have any feedback of some sort…then I will never know what my readers are thinking.<strong>_

_**Untill next time guys~!**_

_**-NEKO**_


	3. Unexpected

_**Sorry for taking so long to update guys. I'm busy with my senior activities and such. Woot for prom and senior brunch! I'll just be happy when I can graduate lol. Anyway time for the next chapter of When Thunder Crashes~! **_

_**NOTE: Also, one of my reviewers brought up the italicized quotes at the beginning of each chapter. They said that it should be as if Vanille is narrating them because she was the narrator of FFXII. I was thinking that that was an awesome idea because when I read it over I always wonder what voice would fit the role of narrator…so Vanille will be the narrator heehee. It makes sense too. **_

_**I hope you guys enjoy and review please~!**_

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><p><em>Is it that when things become too hard to bear…we run away? Or is it that we will try to forget all the pain? Burying the hurt would be the easiest thing to do…though the pain inside will slowly send us into oblivion.<em>

_That is, if someone doesn't pull us away from that fate…_

Unexpected

_Damn it…I'm surrounded…_

Lightning backed up against an old crumbling pillar. Her clothing was ripped and there were little cuts and bruises underneath. She breathed heavily as a fresh cut on her cheek began to bleed. She could feel the sting of the cold, now that her clothing had been torn.

The cruel weather had reminded her that she was no longer a l'Cie, but simply a human. Usually the weather wouldn't have affected her ability to fight. Neither would the limits of her stamina. She was a soldier of course, but after a while a pack of wild animals could overwhelm anyone.

The pink-haired woman stared as the beasts approached her cautiously, their eyes soulless and bloodthirsty.

_Heh…_

Lightning closed her eyes, a dark smile appearing on her face as one of the beasts growled. She gripped her saber, a dry laugh leaving her. The soldier pushed herself off of the wall, her eyes glowing with subtle rage.

"You think that I'm going to be done in by a group of dogs?"

Her eyes then looked up at the darkening sky, snow cascading down upon her. "Don't make me laugh!"

With that she charged the wild hounds, with that smile still on her face. The hounds charged but were no match for her blade. The beast could try as hard as they could but it ended in failure.

Dark red covered her saber and tainted the white snow. By this time Lightning felt weak, no longer able to tell the source of the blood. She fell to her knees, her saber dropping into the snow. She stared at the snow, watching as the small flakes collected.

_I won't be done in by those hounds, just like I won't let my memories haunt me. I'm a soldier, these things…they're trivial. I can get over this…_

"Shit, I got here too late."

The pink-haired woman blinked, turning her head weakly. Her foggy eyes caught sight of a figure making its way towards her. It wasn't long before her vision began to fail her. Before she fell into complete unconsciousness, she remembered hearing a familiar voice.

"Lightning, you're an idiot."

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><p>"She'll be fine Serah; she just got banged up..."<p>

Lightning opened her eyes only for her sight to be assaulted by light. She closed her eyes as they stung, giving them a moment to adjust. She could hear voices around her, familiar voices.

"Hey look, she's moving."

_Serah…that's Serah's voice…_

The soldier opened her eyes again and was greeted by a pair of golden orbs, Lebreau's to be exact. Lightning blinked and jumped back, wincing as her wounds ached at the sudden movement. She groaned and reached for her throbbing side, feeling the texture of bandages under her shirt.

_Wait a minute…where am I?_

The former l'Cie looked around her, her eyes scanning over Lebreau and Serah. She realized that she was in her bedroom and back in her bed. A small frown appeared on her features as she looked down, noticing her bandaged up arms. She lifted her hand to her face and stared at it for a while.

"How did I..."

Serah's voice piped up, full of relief. "Lebreau got you out of that blizzard just in the nick of time."

The older Farron blinked, letting her hand drop into her lap. Her azure eyes drifted to the raven-haired woman who sat beside the bed. The bartender smiled warmly at the soldier.

"You had us worried when you ran off like that. I had a feeling that you were going to put that uniform to use and get yourself into a mess. You're not a l'Cie anymore…a pack of wild hounds can actually kill you. If they didn't, that blizzard would have."

Lightning narrowed her eyes and stared down at her lap. "I didn't need your help."

Lebreau lifted an eyebrow, "So you're telling that you would have made it back here on your own? Or maybe bandage yourself and change your clothes?"

"You changed my clothes," Lightning asked her cheeks burning red.

The bartender nodded, the matter was trivial in her mind. "Yeah, I would like to say that black lace fits you though…"

Serah made a noise, her cheeks matching the color of her sister's. The two Farrons stared at each other awkwardly.

Lightning looked away with a frown "You saw them too?"

The younger Farron nodded and looked down at her lap. "I helped her…I didn't think that you would wear such…such…"

"Sexy underwear," Lebreau suggested.

Serah's face turned a darker shade of red as she attempted to glare at the bartender. "Th-that's not what I meant! I just thought that that she was more…conservative…"

Lightning sighed heavily and shook her head. "Let's not talk about this okay? What I wear under my clothes…is none of your business."

"I thought that they were cute," Lebreau muttered. She began to laugh after the pink-haired soldier shot a deadly glare. She waved her hands in the air, "I was just kidding."

Lightning kept her eyes on her not believing her words. She shifted, getting ready to intimidate the dark-haired woman when pain shot through her. The woman hissed as her hands reached for her side. Lebreau blinked, her expression becoming one of concern. Her eyes lost their playful glint for a moment as she went over to Lightning.

"Hey, be careful Lightning. You can't do too much or your other wounds will reopen…like that one did."

She reached for the other's shirt, lifting up and exposing the now red bandages. The bartender sighed as the blood seeped through, her golden eyes full of thought.

"They haven't had time to heal…so they can reopen easily. You need to rest."

The bartender's slender fingers grazed over the bandages before slowly unwrapping them, exposing the bleeding wound. Lebreau frowned as she turned to Serah, her mouth opening to speak.

"Hey Serah, could you hand me my manadrive?"

The younger Farron hurried into the other room, returning with the small device. She stared at it, one of her pink eyebrows lifting.

"I thought that these things wouldn't work since the Cocoon fal'Cie no longer exist…"

Lebreau smiled and shook her head. "I thought the same thing until we let Maqui have at it. He had studied the manadrive's technology and found a way change the energy source. Maqui is pretty awesome huh?"

Serah nodded, handing the device over. Her eyes followed the object, azure eyes watching it closely. "I wonder how he got his hands on it…I thought only PSICOM used these…and the higher ranked soldiers in the Guardian Corps."

"You seem to know a lot huh Serah," Lebreau said with a laugh.

The younger Farron's cheeks colored and she began to play with her ponytail. "Well…Claire told me a lot about the army…"

Lightning blinked as her sister's statement, a curious and proud look in her eyes. _I didn't think that she ever listened to what I said about the army. Or maybe she did…I had to keep her out of the army…and that idiotic NORA…_

The soldier glanced over at Lebreau, noticing that her golden eyes dimmed for a moment. Her own eyes narrowed at this, confusion filling those icy orbs. The bartender kept her eyes down, focusing on the task before her. She activated the manadrive, the small machine glowing with blue light.

Lightning felt her body warm with the fabricated magic. The waves of warmth were nothing like those of an authentic cure spell, but anything felt better than the throbbing pain.

"There," Lebreau muttered. "Now you'll just need a change of bandages…"

The bartender stood and looked around, her eyes searching for the said bandages. As she did so, Lightning leaned back against her pillows and folded her arms across her chest.

"So Lebreau, how do you know how to do all of these things anyway? Are you some sort of nurse?"

Lebreau glanced back at the soldier. Her eyes distracted with something that had nothing to do with the missing bandages. Even though she knew that her eyes would betray her expression, she smiled anyway.

"When you're in a group full of reckless boys, you have to know how to dress a wound properly. I'm also the town's nurse."

Serah clapped her hands together; her eyes bright like her disposition. "Yep, Lebby here will be taking care of you until you heal up!"

Lightning would have shot back up, but thought that it would have been wise to simply show her surprise in her facial expression. It would have been unfortunate if she were to reopen another wound.

"She is what? I…I don't need anyone taking care of me."

Lebreau feigned a pout, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Aw, but I was looking forward to giving you a bath."

Lightning turned to her sister, a frightened expression on her pale features. "So you left me in the care of a perverted nurse? I would have been better off if I were still in the blizzard."

Serah frowned, "Aw don't say things like that! She's fine…she just has sense of humor…I guess." The younger Farron glanced at the bartender before leaning over to whisper in her sister's ear. "Maybe it's because she hangs around those NORA guys all the time…you know men are perverted…"

"Your fiancé is a member of NORA too Serah, I hope he isn't like those _perverted NORA guys_…or I'll murder him…"

Serah squeaked, "Maybe I shouldn't have said that…" She laughed nervously before suddenly changing the subject. "Anyway, Lebreau will watch over you while I work at the orphanage. I didn't want to leave you home alone with those injuries…you nearly gave me a heart attack when you ran off, so I want someone to keep an eye on you."

The pink-haired soldier opened her mouth to say something but her younger sister shook her head. This caused Lightning to frown and huff.

"Well I have to work at the orphanage. Bye Claire…er…Light. See ya Lebby!"

She watched as her younger sister waved to the two of them and headed for the door. As Lightning heard the sound of the front door closing she sighed, looking at Lebreau. Her frown deepened as the smile on the bartender's face only grew.

The soldier pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. _Why have the gods forsaken me?_

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><p><em><strong>I hope you guys liked this chapter. I wanted to add a little humor in it. I mean come on, even though we don't know much about Lebreau, she gives off that "perverted-smart" jokes vibe. To me "Lebby" seems as if she is actually a thoughtful and serious person that covers up her true self with the happy-go-lucky attitude…similar to Vanille…but different. Oh don't mind my mini rant guys. <strong>_

_**Again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave me a nice review. I'll try to reply to it but I'm a little under the weather.**_

_**Until next time guys…**_

_**-NEKO**_


	4. The Small Things

_**Sorry guys for taking so long to update, I lost EVERYTHING on my flash drive. I'm a little upset about it because it was partially my fault that my files became the victims of that villain named deletion. –sigh- Sorry but I digress, I hope that you will enjoy this chapter because I will try to up my standards when it comes to descriptive writing.**_

_**Also I will be switching between the character's points of view…**_

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><p><em>One thing that we as humans share is our stubbornness…and our ability to make miracles, no matter how big or small. Even when one is on the verge of giving up all hope, another comes along and pulls them from their despair. That in itself is one of the miracles that we perform.<em>

The small things

Lebreau felt her eyes droop as she walked into Lightning's dark room, clad in warm pajamas. Her golden eyes reflected in the darkness, glowing only because of the light that shined from the buildings outside. A long sigh left her lips as she sat in a chair, not too far from the sleeping soldier. The bartender leaned back in her seat, her body slouching over it. She rubbed her eyes as she watched the soldier, a small smile on her face.

The raven-haired woman found it ironic as she stared at Lightning's face; the woman looked peaceful as she slept. Her sleeping face reminded Lebreau of that of a small innocent child.

_Who knew that she could look so adorable when sleeping, yet so cold when awake?_

The bartender pulled her knees to her chest and took note of the subtle characteristics of the strawberry-blonde's sleeping face. Her eyes noticed how her mouth was slightly ajar and how Lightning's pink hair fell over her pallid face. Lebreau stared on, feeling her cheeks burn as time progressed.

Lightning groaned as she began to move, her eyes opening some. The azure shimmered in the dark as they refocused and locked on their target.

"Why are you here," the soldier asked harshly.

Lebreau's smile fell ever so slightly as the sound of the soldier's icy tone. She laughed slightly, not letting the icy aura intimidate her.

"Did you forget that I'm taking care of you?"

Lightning sat up slowly, a hiss leaving her as she did so. The bartender could see the fire in the woman's eyes; it was the conflagration that was her anger. Lebreau opened her mouth to speak though her words had long died in her throat, so she simply observed the woman.

She would do this when she was faced by someone she was unable to understand. The bartender took pride in her ability to observe and read people. Those skills had been beneficial in her nineteen years of life.

"So Serah allowed you to stay here too," Lightning muttered bitterly. She looked up and matched eyes with the younger woman, her eyes cold. "Just because my sister let you stay here doesn't mean that you get to walk in my room whenever you'd like, got it? I find it very unnerving that you were watching me sleep…though…I wasn't really asleep."

Lebreau's mouth hung open for a moment before she could compose herself. "Oh…you weren't huh…"

"No," the other woman replied cooly.

The bartender laughed and looked down at her lap, a sheepish expression on her face. "I'm sorry about that. I was just making sure you were okay." She then looked up and stood, "I'll see you in the morning. Try not to push yourself too much Lightning, you'd worry Serah you know."

Before Lightning could say anything in response, the bartender had already closed the door. She sighed and laid back down, her eyes staring at the ceiling. Her cerulean eyes watched as the lights of the town danced across it, bringing light into the dark room.

"I wonder," the soldier muttered as her eyebrows furrowed. "I could have sworn that she was…blushing."

* * *

><p>Lightning awoke with a start, her eyes stinging from the intensity of the daylight. She grumbled as she sat up, freeing herself from the prison of her bed sheets. The woman winced as her healing wounds throbbed, her face twisting into a grimace.<p>

_Damn it…this…is nothing…_

She hissed as she swung her long legs off of the bed but her face returned to its usual stoic nature. Once her feet touched the cool floor, she ran a hand through her strawberry locks. She was personally indifferent about her current appearance because she already had something on her mind.

Lightning Farron would not allow herself to be confined to her room. She would not just sit and rest. Becoming idle would only lead to sloth, and sloth only leads to weight gain. Lighting was not a fan of gaining weight; she worked too hard for her body.

"Those dirty hounds, it's their fault I'm like this…"

"Claire, you can't put _all_ the blame on them…"

The soldier blinked and her head snapped to the doorway, where her sister stood. A soft smile was on her face as she entered, sitting next to her older sister. Her hair was down, the wavy pink locks cascading over her shoulders and contrasted with her dark nightgown. Her eyes watched her sister a twinkle in them as if she wanted to tell a joke.

"It seems like the great Lightning has been reduced to a spark."

The older Farron narrowed her eyes at her sister, even though a smile was on her lips too. "You've been waiting for a while to use that joke huh?"

Serah nodded and stared at the floor. Suddenly she seemed distracted for some reason. This caused Lightning to lift an eyebrow. Serah did not look up; instead she gave the other a nod of acknowledgement. "Yes Claire."

"Are you alright?"

The younger Farron looked up at her sister and smiled, her eyes closing as she did so. Her voice left her mouth, the sound barely audible. "No…but that's okay."

The soldier felt her mouth open to speak but it closed soon after. Even if she was able to conjure a response, it would never leave her lips.

Serah stood and shook her head, a sad laugh leaving her. Her eyes seemed to darken as she stared at the floor once more before facing her appalled sister. "Don't worry about it Claire. Just…just forget I said anything."

Lightning attempted to stand but she ended up falling to the floor. She made sure that she cursed the whole way down, even after her sister rushed over to her. By this time, the soldier could hear Lebreau over Serah's worried voice.

"Lightning, you shouldn't try to get up so fast. You haven't used your legs in days…"

The bartender kneeled down next to the siblings, helping Serah hoist the injured soldier up. Once Lightning was back on the bed she made sure to glare at Lebreau, her eyes dark.

"You know, it's great that you would tell me _now_."

Serah frowned at her sister, "Be nice Claire…"

The pink-haired woman looked at her sister, Serah's words still weighing on her heart. Her eyes were filled with concern, though it seemed that the younger Farron did not notice this.

Serah sighed, "Well I'll be on my way to the orphanage now. See you guys later."

Once the smaller Farron left the room, Lebreau frowned. "Something's wrong…"

Lightning turned to the bartender and blinked. _Did she hear too?_

"I heard what she said," Lebreau muttered, confirming the other's suspicions.

The former l'Cie looked down at her lap, staring at her bandaged hands. She felt her lips pull downward into a slight frown.

_What is wrong with her? Why…why is Serah so upset? Could it be that…Snow did something? They haven't married yet. I swear if he-_

"Lightning," Lebreau muttered with a shaky voice. "What in the world are you thinking about?"

The soldier broke from her thoughts, her eyes finding the bartender's. "Why…do you ask?"

It was then that Lightning noticed the feeling of a warm liquid in her palms. Her azure eyes traveled to her hands and noticed that the red bandages were now soaked with red; she had dug her nails so deep into her flesh that she broke the skin. It was a surprise that she the stinging pain went on unnoticed.

Her eyes widened slightly as she unclenched her hands. Had I been that angry?

Lightning was not one to let her emotions show. She did not like the fact that she had lost control in such a small moment, especially in front of someone like Lebreau.

_Lebreau…_

Why did that woman's name make her frown? To tell the truth, the bartender had not done anything wrong.

_She was only trying to help…_

That was the problem. Lightning knew that she could take care of herself. She needed no one; she could only depend on herself. There was no other way; someone had to take care of her sister. Serah needed her to protect her and to look after her.

Sadly, it seemed that even though she made Serah her focus…she could barely help her when she needed it most.

_I failed her…_

Maybe it was her cold persona that pushed everyone away. Or maybe it was her barriers that pushed her away from everyone else. She even thought that it could even be _fear_, but what was she afraid of?

"Here Lightning," Lebreau mumbled as she took the soldier's hands into her own. Her hands carefully undid the bandages, tossing them aside as she observed the damage. The raven-haired woman sighed as her fingers ran over the deep grooves made by the soldier's actions. "What made you so angry?"

Lightning did not answer, instead she turned away. She let her pink bangs fall over her eyes, casting a shadow over those azure orbs. She snatched her hand away from the bartender, letting it fall limply onto her lap. She glanced at the look in the other's eyes, watching those golden orbs closely. It was then that she realized why she felt so negative towards the woman.

An image entered her mind for a mere instant but she could see everything in great detail. It was Fang, her emerald eyes staring into her soul. She could hear her voice also, the rich accent leaving her lips.

"_Just be happy alright…"_

It was then that the former l'Cie realized the reason behind her fear. She could see as clear as her reflection in Lebreau's eyes.

Lightning was tormented because she was afraid to move on. She was afraid to let go.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Alright guys, I hope you liked it and please review. I made the sequel for you guys and would like to know what you are thinking~! I also wonder if you guys like where I'm taking this.<strong>_

_**Personal musing: I wonder if I made Lightning out of character. I try not to do that too much because that would mess up her character. Lightning is actually one of the hardest characters I had to write, well next to Fang (because she is so awesome that I don't want to mess her up).**_

_**-NEKO**_


	5. Tangible

_**Hm, in this chapter I plan on changing the focus and shinning the light on a certain duo. That's all I will say for now. Enjoy!**_

* * *

><p><em>Doing the right thing came with a price that we were willing to accept at the time. We were the only ones who could. There was the sacrifice that only belonged to us. We were cursed with the ability to make a miracle…and now we must deal with the consequences. <em>

Tangible

Eyes opened to reveal a pair of brilliant emerald eyes, the orbs filled with the haze of sleep. Those eyes blinked as a familiar voice called the owner's name.

"Fang... hey _Fang, _are you awake?"

Fang grumbled as her vision was assaulted by a head of red hair. "Vanille…what did I tell you about messing with me when I'm sleepin'?"

The smaller woman smiled at her adopted sister, bouncing slightly on the bed. Her pigtails followed the movement, the curls falling over her shoulders.

Vanille sighed as the other Pulse-born rolled over, ignoring her antics. The redhead's green eyes stared at Fang for a while, scanning over her appearance. She was dressed in white, like herself and seemed to have an odd glow about her form. Vanille looked at her hands and frowned at the fact that she had that glow too.

She looked around the room, noting the extravagant architecture. The room the two shared seemed as if it was meant for royalty, yet at the same time she knew that the building was from another time. Even though she had seen this place so many times she could never get used to it. She could never become accustomed to her situation either.

"Fang…how long have we've been here," she asked in a low voice.

Fang's eyes were half way shut, a type of darkness dwelling within them. Her voice left her in a whisper, "I don't know Vanille. Time is something that's hard to keep up with. In this place I can barely tell if it's dawn or dusk."

"Oh," the younger Pulsian muttered.

Fang rolled back over and noticed the redhead's crestfallen expression. She stared at the other's downcast eyes, noticing that they were brimming with tears.

Vanille looked up at the raven-haired woman as the tears began to spill from her eyes, her cheeks flushing from her emotional display. Fang felt her heart tug in her chest as she watched her adopted sister cry. Without speaking she pulled the smaller woman into a hug, feeling her heart jerk once again as Vanille began to speak.

"I…I…oh Fang…it hurts. I want to go back! I want to go back…"

The redhead tugged at Fang's robes as she broke down. Before the duo realized it, Vanille had buried her face in the other's clothes. Her warm tears began to soak the material as her sobs worsened.

Fang swallowed hard as she lifted a shaky hand to rub the other's back. She pulled the woman closer with her other arm, resting her chin atop Vanille's head.

"I know Vanille, I know. It's going to be okay…it's going to be okay."

"But it won't," came Vanille's muffled voice. "As long as we're in crystal sleep then…I will never be able to see her again…"

"Vanille…"

The younger Pulse-born wrapped her arms around Fang's middle, resting her head on the warrior's lap. "I'm…sorry…I shouldn't be the one in tears should I? You are hurting too…I…"

Fang shook her head, "Sometimes it's good to cry…to…let it all out…I've cried too…in my own way."

Vanille fell silent and her breathing began to slow. The dark-haired woman blinked and looked down at the sound of light snoring hit her ears. This caused Fang to sigh, a small smile on her face. Sadly the moment was bittersweet as the redhead's words echoed inside Fang's head.

"_I want to go back…"_

_I want to go back too Vanille…_

* * *

><p>Fang lifted her tanned hand towards the now darkening sky, her eyes staring at it blankly. She noticed the glow that it had, a glow that only she and a few others shared in this world. As she stared at it her mind slipped into the past. She felt a soft smile grace her features as another hand intertwined their fingers.<p>

She knew the hand well, her eyes trailing up the bare flesh until those emeralds met with eyes of azure. Pink locks fell over the face of the blue-eyed woman; her side swept bangs now a mess of tangled strands. Her eyes sparkled with passion as she stared at Fang, her lips slightly parted.

"_Fang…"_

"Lightning," Fang whispered as the memory pulled her in. Her eyes floated over the soldier's naked body as she shifted on the imaginary bed. Her heart tugged painfully in her chest as she watched a soft smile grace the other's features.

_She's…she's so happy…and I left her._

Just as quickly as the memory came, it left. The tribal woman kept her hand outstretched as if she tried to grasp the memory before it could leave her. Once it did fade from her mind, she let her hand fall limply to her side. A sky full of stars reflected in her dazed eyes, the sky a mesh of blue and purple.

A shooting star flashed across the horizon, lighting up the night sky. Fang's eyes watched it, her lips in a small frown. As the star lit up her face her eyes became downcast, staring at the grass beneath her feet. She then suddenly sat where she stood, rooting her hands in her hair before shaking her head wildly. Her hands clenched at her dark hair as she looked up at the sky.

"What the hell goddess? If this is paradise then why are we so fucking miserable? We can do whatever we want here yet…we…" Fang trailed off as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to contain the burning sensation. She exhaled deeply as her grip on her hair relaxed.

_We're not happy here…we aren't meant to be here._

Fang sighed and looked up at the city before her, the lights bright like when she was in Cocoon. The city seems as if it was a combination of Gran Pulse and the fallen sphere. Everything seemed unreal, but then again, she didn't belong here.

_This is the world of the beyond, the world of the dead. We're just visiting, waiting for the time when we will have to wake up again._

* * *

><p>Beneath the pillar of crystal, a figure approached clad in white. Their form blending in with the lightly falling snow as the individual headed towards the crystal statue beneath it. The figure reached up, pale slender fingers touching one figure in particular.<p>

The slender fingers touched Vanille's crystal replica, gently caressing the cold surface. The owner of the hands exhaled heavily before turning away. With one last look at the statue, the figure retreated back into the falling snow. Soon the figure blended in with the snow as if they were never there.

* * *

><p><strong><em>How did I do? I hoped you liked it. And hm, who do you think is the mysterious figure? And what about Fang and Vanille, will they ever wake up? Haha, you'll learn as the story progresses of course~! Please don't forget to review guys; I would like to know what you thought. Until next time my wonderful readers, bye-bye~!<em>**

**_Also, sorry for the short chapter guys eh heh..._**

**_-NEKO_**


	6. Challenges

_There are many things that we face in our world…sometimes they are small, and some are large. One thing about our world though, it that it seems as if we are facing so many things at once._

Challenges

"Fall back men!"

Snow jumped back as a wild gorgonopsid lunged at him. A smile appeared on his face as he cocked back his fist and slammed it into the beast. His smile widened as he heard the sickening crack of the beast's jaw. The hound whimpered and collapsed to the ground, becoming easy prey for one of the soldiers. The blond giant adjusted his long coat, glancing at the glowing pad on his shoulder.

_I would have never thought that in a million years that I would be a soldier…_

The man sighed as he began to fall back with the rest of his squad, watching as the gorgonopsids began to do the same. His eyes then surveyed the area, wincing slightly at bodies of those slain by the beasts. He growled as he stared at the lifeless faces, covered in blood and various wounds. His fists clenched and unclenched as he closed his eyes. The image of Hope's mother, Nora, flashed in his mind. He could remember trying to reach out to her as she fell, plummeting to her inevitable death. _This…can't go on. We have to end this quickly._ Serah's smiling face entered his mind, her soft blue eyes full of kindness and love. _I_

_ have to keep her safe…no matter what. _

The man scratched the back of his head as he opened his eyes. He looked up at the sky so that he could try to block out the blood-stained snow. The cloudy sky reflected in his eyes, giving them a misty appearance. He continued to stare as his men scurried around him, yelling and relaying orders. Snow sighed and turned away from the battle field, various soldiers ushering him into a nearby vehicle. As he and the other soldiers crammed into the vehicle, the blond took one last look at the area before closing his eyes.

_I will make sure that this will end._

* * *

><p>Serah hummed lightly as she twirled around in the kitchen as she cooked. She could hear the orphaned children as they waited for the food to cook, their voices fill with innocent glee. She turned around as one of the children tugged on her leg. She smiled at the child, blinking as they matched eyes.<p>

_Oh my…_

She could have sworn that she was looking at a miniature version of Lebreau. The child had her down to the very color of her hair, though there was a slight difference. An image of the crystal statues floated into her mind, her memory bringing her to the replica of Fang.

_That's weird; she does kinda look like an odd combination of the two. Well with the wavy hair and all._

"Big sister Serah, when is the food gunna be done? I'm starving!"

"In just a moment sweetie, don't worry."

"Hey Byrae, what are you doing in the kitchen?"

The small girl turned around and beamed at the new visitor. "Big sister Lebreau!" The child ran into the bartender's open arms, a large smile on her face. The raven-haired woman picked up the child and spun her around, a warm smile on her face also. Serah giggled, but then blinked as confusion seeped into her brain.

"Hey Lebby, what are you doing here? I thought you were taking care of Claire."

The bartender chuckled and sat down Byrae, ruffling up her hair and sending her into the next room. "She's going to be asleep for a while. I caught her trying to train in her room…let's just say that It was _not_ pretty. I gave her some meds that had her sleeping like a dangerous fiend-killing soldier baby."

Serah shook her head, and turned back to the cooking food. "Well, now that you're here…I could use some help collecting the children. They're all over the orphanage."

"Where's the rest of _NORA_, wouldn't they have taken care of that?"

"They've all joined the army, remember," Serah said with a smile. "The boys were all called out for a mission, but they should be back anytime now."

Lebreau sighed and leaned on the doorframe, folding her arms across her chest. "I see…it's still crazy that they joined. I remember when we had no rules and things of that nature."

Serah turned off the stove and began to fix the plates. She glanced at Lebreau before speaking. "Maybe it was time for _NORA _to mature. Maybe it was time for all of us to do a bit of growing up." The bartender shook her head. "Maybe, maybe not. We all know that Snow joined the army for you…the guys just followed suit. I'm glad though, the big needed to know how the real guys get it done."

The pink-haired woman giggled softly, her eyes still on the plates she was fixing. "You make it sound as if you were in the army once. But then again…that wouldn't make since to end up in NORA, would it?"

Lebreau was silent, her smile losing its elation for a moment. Her eyes flashed with something before they closed. "You never know Serah; I could have been in PSICOM."

Serah rolled her eyes at the bartender, "Yeah, _right_. Go round up the children for me please." The bartender nodded and left out of the room, calling the names of the various children. Serah laughed as she heard the hurried footsteps of the orphans, their calls and cheers filling the halls.

"Hey look guys, it's big brother Snow!"

"He's back!"

"Hey Snow!"

Serah finished fixing the plates and looked up as she heard the heavy footfalls of a familiar individual. A smile graced her features as Snow entered the kitchen, brushing the snow off of his clothing.

"Hey Serah, I'm back."

"As I can see," the smaller said. "Hey, don't get snow all over the floor, I just mopped it!"

The giant colored and looked down at his feet where snow had collected. He simply scratched the back of his head and laughed. "I'll clean it up later. Oh hey! Looks like I got back just in time for dinner huh? I'll call the kids in here." The large man walked out of the kitchen, his heavy footfalls sounding again. This time, Lebreau popped her head in the doorway and smiled.

"Hey I have to go back and check on Lightning, I'll see you when you get back okay?" Serah nodded as the children began to push their way into the kitchen. The raven-haired woman nearly fell over as the children began to crowd the space. With a wave, Lebreau headed out, leaving the youngest Farron with a bunch of hungry children. Serah sighed heavily as they began to line up.

_That Lebreau, she's always on her way out when I need her help the most. I'm starting to think that it's not a coincidence…_

* * *

><p>"Serah? Are you okay?" Serah would have dozed off Snow's voice did not reach her. She looked up, blinking slowly. Her eyes were half open as she locked eyes with him.<p>

The blond simply smiled at his fiancée, wrapping his large arm around her. "It seems like those kids did a number on you huh?"

She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder, her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke. "Yeah, with Lebby busy and all of the guys in the army, things are becoming a bit difficult. But that's okay, I love taking care of the children. Though I think Byrae likes Lebreau a bit more…" Serah laughed lightly and closed her eyes.

"Don't worry, once we get control of those fiends then you have some more help around the orphanage…and we can marry in a safe environment." Snow beamed as he spoke, his eyes glowing. Serah though, looked down.

She fell silent, a small frown on her face. "You don't…have to do all of this for me Snow…"

The hulking man shook his head and panted a kiss on her forehead. "Serah, you are the love of my life. I only want you to be safe and happy. I want to protect you, and my new family. I feel like that has become my new…focus. Though with this one, I won't have to worry about turning into a crystal again."

Serah froze at the word _crystal_; her blood seemed to run cold. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, her breathing slowing some. _Get yourself together Serah, it's no big deal. Don't worry about it…you can get over her. You're engaged to this wonderful man, she shouldn't be on your mind._

Snow looked at the other, slight worry in his gentle blue eyes. "Hey, you don't look so well." Serah blinked and looked up at her fiancé, a weak smile appearing on her face. "Oh, I'm just very tired. Don't worry about it…I should just…go home."

The blond smiled and stood, extending a hand for the other. She took it with a smile and Snow returned the gesture. "Let's get you home then, okay?"

* * *

><p><strong> <em>I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I wanted to turn the focus on Serah and Snow seeing as they do have a significant part in the story. Stay tuned my lovable readers, and don't forget to review.<em> **

**_-NEKO_**


	7. Truth

_The truth likes to come out at the most unexpected times and when it does we are left stunned. The truth is like a double edged sword, which is both dangerous and helpful. The craziest thing about the truth, how one takes it…and what they do with it._

Truth

Lightning gazed up at her ceiling, her icy eyes slightly dazed. Her lips were slightly parted as she stared, her mind as blank as her eyes. She was so out of it that she barely noticed that a certain bartender had entered the room. She blinked as the door closed and sat up, her eyes still icy.

"You…"

The raven-haired woman smiled as she shook snow from her now down hair. Her golden eyes were locked with the strawberry blonde's as she approached. Her smile had taken on a more goofy nature as she sat down on the bed.

"How are you feeling."

The soldier narrowed her eyes and looked down at her lap, her teeth clenched. "I feel like crap."

"Well that's what you get when you try to do a backflip before I said you could."

Lightning's pale cheeks became a dark red as she gripped the sheets. "Shut…up."

Lebreau frowned and sighed, the glow in her eye dimming some. She looked down at her snow covered boots. "I know how it feels to be stuck in bed and not able to do anything…it sucks, but you have to be patient."

Lightning rolled her eyes, though her expression was still stoic. "Look…you can try to understand. But you can't and you won't."

Lebreau bit her lip, her eyebrows pulling together. Her body shook and she turned away for a moment. "But I want understand," she muttered. She looked up, her face oddly serious. "I want to understand you but you make it so hard. You always close yourself off from everyone. You let those walls keep everyone out."

The pink-haired woman looked up, her eyes slightly wide. She stared for a moment before her eyes narrowed. She then swung her legs over to the side of the bed and stood. Her eyes were colder than usual as she approached the bartender.

"You know me so well don't you?" Her voice was low as she leaned forward. "Well you want to understand me huh? Then why don't you spend a day in my shoes. You probably wouldn't even be able to make it through the first ten minutes of being a soldier. And you sure as hell wouldn't be able to survive being a l'Cie and losing…losing the person you loved."

By this time Lebreau had gotten to her feet, her hands balled up at her sides. "I may have not have been a l'Cie but I've been a soldier…and lost someone. I may have not lost her the same way you did, but when you have to watch her with someone else…it hurts. I lost her because I didn't act, and that's worse than a damn crystal sleep! I never had the chance to be with her…and all I have left is goddamn 'what ifs'."

The raven-haired bartender took step back, her eyes wide with what she had just said. Her chest was heaving with each breath. Her frame shook with anger as she tried to say something.

Lightning's expression mirrored the bartender's though she was still. "You were a soldier…"

Lebreau brought her hand up to her face and plopped down on the bed, her teeth clenched as she closed her eyes. "Yes, PSICOM…"

Lightning remained standing, and her facial expression softened a little. She sighed and looked down at the floor. She cursed herself for avoiding the main subject and changing it to something else. They had two out of three things in common, and both were unlikely, at least in her mind.

She eventually sat down on her bed, letting herself lay back. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean…"

"Just…just forget about it…" Lebreau smiled sadly and stared at her boots again. "I shouldn't have…"

"No," Lightning said as she sat up again. "I was…it was my fault." The pink-haired soldier found orbs of golden and locked on them. She wanted to apologize to the bartender, but the words would not leave her. She was not the type to express regret anyway. Her eyebrows pulled together as she tried to assess the situation, but her mind pulled a blank. She could only see the subtle hurt in Lebreau's eyes, and her regret. Lighting was still a bit shock about what was said earlier but she could only say that it was her doing.

The raven-haired woman stood and this pulled the soldier from her musing. She sat up and reached for her arm, grabbing it before the bartender could turn away. Lebreau glanced at the former l'Cie and then her eyes fell on the hand that was now had grabbed hold of her arm.

"Let…let go of me," the bartender said. Her voice was neither angry nor annoyed; it was just a simple request. Her eyes never met the other's, golden orbs looking everywhere else.

Lightning stood, her jaw set and her eyes smoldering as she began to speak. "No. Don't…"

"Why," the bartender muttered as she turned around. She was now facing the other woman, her eyes filled with a mess of emotions.

Lightning paused, her eyebrows furrowing as a small frown found its way on her features. "Just stay," she muttered. "That's all I ask."

Lebreau blinked and watched as those smoldering eyes softened, along with the owner's facial expression. She lifted an eyebrow as the soldier beckoned her to sit back down. With a sigh she sat back down on the bed, though her eyes found the floor. Lightning sat next to her and let go of the bartender's arm.

"I'm sorry," the soldier muttered. She turned away slightly and continued. "You are reaching out to me…and I am denying you…"

Lebreau opened her mouth to speak but Lightning beat her to the punch.

"I'm scared to take your outstretched hand Lebreau."

The raven-haired woman frowned, her own eyes finding orbs of azure. She fell silent and reached over, placing her hand over Lightning's. She felt the soldier pull away, but the bartender already had the hand on her grasp.

"Lightning…"

The strawberry-blond was now looking down into her lap, her eyes dark and blank. Her mouth was set in a flat line as she spoke again. "The walls…that I keep up…are to protect myself from becoming hurt again." She lifted up her shirt and glanced at the bandages that where wrapped around her stomach. She stared at them before letting the shirt fall again. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"These injuries are nothing; they are nowhere near as painful as the memories."

Lebreau gave the other woman's hand a comforting squeeze, her free hand balling into a trembling fist.

Lightning sighed and turned to the bartender, her eyes brightening up some. "I…want to try again."

* * *

><p>Serah stepped through the front door, a sigh of relief leaving her as she left the cold. She quickly took off her coat and stepped out of her boots, thankful that the house was so warm. The youngest Farron walked peeked into the living room as she walked down the hall. Her blue eyes caught sight of Lebreau's sleeping form on a nearby sofa. She smiled and walked over, noticing that the bartender had let her blanket fall off of her body. Serah picked up the blanket and covered the woman again, her eyes noticing dried up tears on the bartender's sleeping face. She lifted a pink eyebrow, a small frown on her face.<p>

The Farron shrugged it off and headed back to her sister's room. She knew that her sister was probably asleep but she had hoped that the older Farron was awake; she had something to tell her. It did not take long for the pink-haired woman to make it to her sister's room. She made sure she was silent as she approached the door. Suddenly the door opened and Serah jumped back, clamping her hand over her mouth to muffle a squeak. Her eyes then narrowed as she looked at the sight of her older sister.

"Cl-caire…d-don't do that. At least give me a chance to knock."

Lightning simply shook her head, her azure orbs glowing oddly in the dark. "You never come by my room this late, unless you need to talk. You've done the same thing since we were little. The only difference is that you grew out of your fear of the dark."

"Haha, very funny Claire…so, are you going to let me in?"

Lightning nodded and opened the door so that her sister could enter. Once her sister was in the room, the soldier closed the door behind her and headed back over to her bed. She sighed and sat so that her back was against the headboard. Her eyes watched her sister as she hesitantly sat on the foot of the bed.

"Claire…I…I am having some trouble with Snow…"

Azure orbs became narrowed slits as the older sibling leaned forward. "_Trouble? _What kind of tr-"

Serah put her hands in the air and smiled nervously. "Calm down Claire…it isn't _that _kind of trouble. It's my fault, my own dilemma." She looked down at her lap and twiddled her thumbs, her smile fading. "You see I…I don't want to marry him anymore."

"What," Lightning muttered. Her eyebrows shot so high that they might have disappeared into her hairline. "You _don't _want to marry him?"

"Claire, just…"

The oldest Farron gave her sister a nod and fell silent, her eyes now filled with subtle confusion.

Serah continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm horrible Claire…I hate to say it but…I don't love him anymore. I mean…I care for him deeply but…the feelings aren't there anymore. All this time…I've been faking it."

Tears began to fill the younger's eyes and she wiped at them with the back of her hand. She bit her lip as her breathing began to change into gasping sobs. Her shoulder shook as she tried to calm herself so she could speak. By this time, Lightning was at her side and she was pulling her baby sister into an embrace. The older Farron closed her eyes and sighed.

"Serah…"

"I'm a terrible person," Serah muttered. "All this time I've loved Vanille…but I couldn't hurt Snow. He cares about me so much…and he's fighting off the fiends because of me. He treats me so well and I can't even return his love. No matter how much I try to fight it…she keeps haunting me…I hear her voice in my ears."

Serah buried her face in her sister's shoulder, her hands tugging on the material of lightning's shirt. Her sobs gained volume and her body trembled violently. Lightning could only hug her sister tighter, rubbing her back soothingly.

The soldier was not used to this type of thing, but her sister needed her. She would always be there for her sister because for the longest time, it was only them. Back then, they were the only two they could rely on. Even now, she could see that she was the only one that Serah could come to. She may have been shocked by this information, but she would still support her sister.

"Claire I…I can't live like this anymore…I want her to come back to me. I can deal with everything else if she comes back to me…"

Lightning hushed her younger sister and began to whisper comforting words into her sibling's ear. She continued to rub her back as her shoulder became soaked with tears. The soldier held her sister tighter, squeezing her already closed eyes shut. Her eyebrows were pulled together as she felt her heart tug painfully in her chest. She barely noticed it, but a lone tear slid down her cheek as she cursed the gods.

There was too much happening at once, and it was becoming too much to bear.

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><p><em><strong>Okay guys, I know I took FOREVER to update but I think that this chapter will make up for it. It's actually longer than the other chapters because, as you just read, there were a lot of things that happened. Well I know Lightning may have slipped in that OOC mode that I seem to put her in, but I think that she is still IC.<strong>_

**_I think that the Lightning that I created is a bit more…I don't know…different? Yep, I base her off of how I portrayed her in WLS but also, I made her a bit more open because she did change when she became involved with Fang. As much as she tried to hide it, Fang had a large impact on her personality._**

**_There are also things that you might point out and say "hey, why didn't you go deeper into that?" Don't worry I will, everything comes with time. LOL._**

**_Anyway, I would like to know what you guys thought of this chapter. I really love it when my readers review because if shows me what your reactions were and how I should improve. You may not notice it but I do read every review, and I try to respond to each one. So again please leave me a review, because they equal love~!_**

_**Until next time readers!**_

**_-NEKO_**


	8. Thought and Change

_**Hello guys, it's been a long time since I've updated, eh? I started in 2011 and I got really busy. I tried to finish this during the summer when I had time but that still did not work out.**_

_**But anyway, I hope I can start updating again. Maybe like once a week, or every two weeks. I'll see what I can do. And I'm an English major now! (YAY). So hopefully my writing has improved since the last chapter.**_

_**I have also played, and beaten Final Fantasy 13-2. I um, shall keep my comments on that…to myself. haha. But now this will all be considered as, AU. So let's get this show on the road folks!**_

_**This will be a short chapter that will help me get my bearings. Since I have the story in an outline now, the chapters should be a bit easier to get out.**_

_**Critique and feedback is welcome! Enjoy!**_

_****_Note/Fun fact: I actually wrote a good portion of this chapter during the summer but got really busy and couldn't finish it.

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><p><em>Everything we do is dictated by a choice. Some choose to change how they feel, and others choose to make a choice to change for the better. It doesn't matter why, but these choices are things that we have to make, weather we want to, or not. Some choices are bad, and some are good. But either way they change us, and the people around us.<em>

Thought and Change

Lighting laid on her back, her cerulean eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Her interlaced hands rested on her stomach. They rose and fell with the rhythmic pattern of her breathing.

Pink bangs hung over her face, shadows casted over her porcelain skin. She stayed like this for a while, silence being her only companion. Then slowly, the events from last night filled her head. She saw her sister's red and puffy eyes, trembling lips and tear streaked cheeks. She remembered the way Serah would tremble in her embrace, and how broken and weak her voice was.

Her sister was in so much pain. And she felt helpless, but her mind was not entirely on her sister.

But Lightning found herself in a different predicament. She began to feel this bubbling feeling in her stomach, a feeling that was neither pleasant nor painful. It was just, there. And that feeling echoed throughout her being.

She could do nothing to help her sister. So she tried to quell the guilt that tore at her. But she could not get over the fact that she had begun to develop feelings for Lebreau. Lightning felt she should have kept this intruder at a distance; she should have pushed her away every time she could. But there was something about her. She wouldn't back down. And eventually, Lightning could no longer resist.

"Lightning," she didn't realize the door had been opened. Lebreau had come in.

The strawberry blond sat up from her spot, her expression absent. "Lebreau."

Lebreau eyebrows furrowed, and her mouth pulled downwards into a frown. "Lightning, are you-are you alright?"

"It's nothing," she muttered. She got out of bed slowly. Though it took a while for her to get her wobbly legs under control, she eventually stands. She stretched her legs a bit and flexed them before walking. Lightning sighed, running her hands through her uncombed hair. Her eyes avoid Lebreau's and the she passes her, stopping when she reaches the doorway.

"Hey, since my legs are feeling better…do you want to, you know." Lighting turned around to face the raven-haired woman, their eyes meeting.

Leabreau smiled and nodded. "Lightning, you really suck at this, don't you?"

Lighting felt her cheeks grow hot, and for a moment she looked sheepish. She turned away quickly and exited the room.

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><p>Serah left before her sister woke. When she left, she ventured out to the edges of the village. Serah did not stop until she knew that she was completely alone. She found a rock and sat. Her eyes seemed to stare beyond the frozen landscape. Her thoughts began to flood her mind like a monsoon.<p>

She hoped that confiding in her sister would make things better, but it only made things worse. There was a lingering numbness when she got up that morning. It was feeling she knew, but had never truly experienced.

It was complete and utter guilt. What bothered her the most was that she did not know how to handle it. The feeling of guilt was so alien to her, and she couldn't react to it properly.

_Why did I say that_?_ I was just stressed. I- I couldn't do that to Snow, regardless of how I feel. I barely even knew her! We only met for a little while. Yet I can't help but-_

She buried her head in her hands and shook it, a frustrated grunt leaving her. _This isn't fair! This isn't fair to him, to her, to me- I can't deal with this right now._

Serah felt her hands shake, and she lifted her head_. I have to calm down. Snow's out there. I have to be there for him. It's not about me; it's not about what I want. I…I owe him my life. And if I were to tell him…it would be like spitting in his face._

She stood, shoving her hands into the pockets of her coat. As she walked back into the village, she realized her body felt very heavy.

"Hey, Serah!"

Serah looked up, noticing Gadot. His large frame towered over her, and she craned her neck to look at his face. His body seemed a bit too big for the coat that he wore, and the material looked like it was going to rip at any moment.

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "So what are you doing out here? It's pretty dangerous on the outskirts. We have to get everything under control before everyone can just roam around."

Serah smiled slightly, the gesture obviously strained. "I just went out for a walk. I didn't realize where I was going."

Gadot stared at her for a while, his eyebrows furrowing. Serah had forgotten how perceptive this man was. His glance seemed to pierce through her.

"Serah, is there something wrong? I mean, if you need to talk to someone-"

"Gadot, can we not?" Her words hissed through her clenched teeth.

He held his hands up in defense and eyes widened. "Woah there, I was just trying to help out. If you don't want to talk, then it's cool with me."

Serah's expression softened and her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry; I don't feel very well today." She flashed him a forced smile before passing him. She gave him a small wave before heading back into the settlement.

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><p>"Finally."<p>

Lightning emerged from her room in the midst of buttoning up her top. She looked up as she tucked in her shirt making sure no part stuck out.

"I didn't take too long, did I?"

Lebreau, who was stretched out on the sofa scoffed. "It felt like _forever_."

Lightning hiked an eyebrow and placed on of her hand on her hip. She shook her head and strolled over to the couch. She stood there for a while, her eyes giving Lebreau an once-over.

"Hey, Lebreau, I have an idea of what we should do today."

Lebreau sat up quickly and turned to Lightning, who was already making her way over to the hall closet. She frowned slightly, her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes filled with confusion.

"What," she asked warily. "What do you have in mind?"

Lightning turn to her and smiled. And there was something a bit off about this smile. She seemed…amused. "You're pretty good with a gun, right?"

Lebreau nodded slowly, her face paling. She was right to be worried.


End file.
